Okay, it’s truth and tell time.
I get questions all the time about my upbringing (it wasn’t like Leave It to Beaver and June Cleaver wasn’t my birth mother). People are curious as to what brings someone to do what they do and who they are. Here’s mine:
10 Things You May Not Know About Me
1 One time, a girlfriend and I got the idea that we wanted to go see the TV show, Let’s Make a Deal with Monty Hall in person. Of course, why just watch, why not dress the part? I stood in line dressed and made-up like Raggedy Ann—and natch, I had my daughter’s doll with me. When the producer walked by, I don’t know what possessed me, but I gently “bopped” him on his shoulder with the doll. Turning around, he said, “Come with me.” I ended up winning the BIG Deal that afternoon!
2 Pure bliss to me is digging my toes into warm sand and seeing the ocean in front of me.
3 When I see a parade go by, it brings tears to my eyes.
4 When I had two kids under the age of two and lived in Montana, we were so broke that I became a “poacher” to help feed my family.
5 Of all the media that I’ve gotten—from multiple appearances on Oprah, Donahue, Geraldo (yes- the Geraldo!–you have to ask me about the time I started to push back my chair to get off the stage when the show was live), Sally, Jenny, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, Good Morning America, CNN, etc., etc.—the show that stayed with me the most was the one I did with Joan Rivers.
The topic was women betraying women and my book Woman to Woman: From Sabotage to Support was what brought me to her producer’s attention. Instead of being the off-the-wall commentator/participant she could have been, she was interested, thoughtful and participative. Now, did she have a little fun with the topic? Yes, but she had clearly been sabotaged by others and knew what that type of betrayal can bring. She honored me and my book … even bumping the next guest and keeping me for half of her hour show!
Who was the single best host with the audience? Hands down, it was Phil Donahue. The smartest of all the hosts–he treated his guests as honored guests–he would come and get you in the Green Room and personal escort me to the stage, saying, “Please welcome my guest to the stage” before the show began. He often asked me to stay post the show so the audience could talk to me and I loved it that he would have his producers escort me back to the Green Room and then come and again thank me for being there. Phil Donahue was and is a class act.
6 I’m an intuitive cook and think nothing of having anywhere from two to forty for dinner.
7 When a Book Shepherding client’s book arrives in my office from the printer, my sense of joy for the completion of this stage of their project is immense. I immediately call everyone who participated in the creation—the cover designer, interior designer, illustrator, printer, author—anyone and let them know how beautiful the book looks, feels, is. And then I post a review on Amazon to support the author.
8 My idea of a great way to spend an afternoon or evening: big bowl of popcorn and my favorite peach ice tea plus a movie with hubby and friends. Love it.
9 I have an annual Dinner on the Deck BBQ celebrating the arrival of Summer Solstice and dozens of friends to celebrate the warmth. I’m a sun type of gal!
10 I was a child-bride, having three kids before I was 21! I refer to that marriage as my “training marriage”!
Actually, there are far more than 10 things–but that can be another post.
What say you? … what are 10 things that others probably don’t know about you?